Copy-holder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0. f0. BLAOKMER. GOPY HOLDER;

No. 424,086. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

mm mwmxmm (No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. 0. BLAGKMER.

COPY HOLDER. No. 424,086. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

UNITED STATES ORLANDO C. BLAOKMER,

PATENT [OFFICE OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

COPY-HOLDER;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,086, dated March 25, 1890. Application filed October 24, 1889. Serial No. 328.064. (No modeLl countants, b oth while the writing or sketch-' ing is being done and also while the writing or sketching is being copied.

In carrying out my invention I provide a rigid base of wood, heavy card-board, or similar material which will furnish a suitable rigid support for the paper, note-book, or

other material on which the writing or sketching is done, and to support said material on the base I employ a light wire or bar having formed at its ends integral coils which are adapted to embrace the opposite sides of the base, the coils being compressed when applied. The book, paper, or other material being then inserted beneath the wire or bar, the spring-coils will tend to hold the same tightly clamped'upon thebase, and the leaves may be turned over insuccession as fast as filled. The base, with the writing or sketching material secured thereon, will be sufficiently stiff to provide a suitable writing or sketching surface to prevent the doubling or folding of the leaves, and yet not so heavy but that it may be held conveniently in one hand while the writing or sketching is being done with the other. In order to support the base with the copy secured thereon in position to have the matter copied, I apply to the back of the said base a support, preferably in the form of a strip or wire of resilient material, having'two parallel legs and a central portion bent upwardly and adapted to engage at its upper end a suitable stop formed in or on the back of the base. This support will sustain the base with the copy at the proper angle for convenient reading, and may be folded flat against the back of the base when not in use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the copy-holder, the writing being in this case the common stenogand made from some light but stiff material,

such as veneer or other light stiif material.

, B is a clamping-wire having a straight body portion equal to the width of or length of the I base, according as it is desired to support the material at the top or along the side of said base. This. clamping -wire has integrally formed at its ends the coils b, which are con-' veniently made by giving the ends two or more.coils about the body portion, and preferably so that the ends of the body portion are extended through the said coils. In order to secure the ends of these coils to the base,

the last coil may be formed at right angles to the others; or the wire may be simply straightened and bent parallel to the body-wire, or at such distance from the body-wire as to permit theedges of the base to be embraced between them. The clamping-wire is put on with the coils only slightly compressed, and

the further compression of the coils by the I passage of the paper beneath the clampin wire serves to draw the latter tightly down upon the material, thus holding it firmly and securely to the base.

The support comprises parallel legs 0 O,

whose upper ends are secured to the edge of the base, and the upwardly-bent arms 0 c,

which may be converged to a point midway between the arms 0 O and of about half their length.' l

D is a stop, in this instance formed simply by notching or cutting the back of the base, 4

IOO

The support itself may be adapted to a variety of uses other than the holding of copy, and I do not therefore desire to claim the same except in combination with the other elements of a copy-holder. The support is claimed in an application filed of even date herewith.

I provide means for preventing the leaves which have been written or sketched upon and thrown back closing again, and said means comprise a rigid bar or wire E, having bent ends e secured to the base in any convenient manner. As shown, the bent ends 6 enter apertures in the upper edge-of the base, and the leaves, being thrust under the body portion, are prevented from folding back, as they would otherwise, owing to the tendency of the binding to close the leaves together or accidental causes. I have also provided a marking-finger F, which is constructed from a single piece of wire doubled upon itself, so that the free ends are brought together, and the looped end is preferably bent and spread to provide the clamping-jaws f and f, which are adapted to engage the edge of the base, along which it may he slipped to indicate the progress of the copying.

I claim 1. A copy-holder comprising, in, combination, a suitable stiif base and a clamping-wire of a length to extend across the face of the base, and having integral coils at each end thereof whose turns encircle the wire, the

having integral coils at each end thereof and a straight portion adapted to embrace the edges of the base, and a support for said base, comprising supporting-legs and-bracing-arms, substantially as described.

3. A copy-holder comprising, in combination, a suitable stiff base, a clamping-wire having integral coils at each end thereof and straight portions to embrace the edges of the base, and abent wire having its ends inserted in the edge of the base at its top, and adapted to permit the passage of the leaves between it and the edge of the base to prevent their folding, substantially as described.

1 4. A copy-holder comprising, in combination, a suitable stiff base and 'a clampingwire to secure the copy thereon, and a detachable marking-finger constructed from a resilient material, having an integral clamp at one end thereof to embrace the edge of the base, substantially as described.

. ORLANDO Q'BLAOKMER.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK O. Goonwnv,

N. M.'BOND. 

